Ryan: Hope for the Hopeless
The animated short film, Ryan, directed by Chris Landreth portrays an artist who went through a dramatic fall. Although not all artists experience a fall in their career, Ryan did. I found it interesting that the creator of the movie would physically include himself in his movie as he narrates and interviews Ryan. This was interesting because it allows me as a viewer to be able to get inside Chris’s mind to see how he thinks and feels while conversing with Ryan. If there was a third person narrator in place of Chris, I don’t think the movie would have the personal touch that it does the way it is. Chris illustrates an idea of homelessness and panhandling through Ryan after his fall. His fall as an artist was caused by becoming a cocaine addict. Even though Ryan experienced a fall, he was known prior to that as a rising star in animation. He would construct a frame by frame observation of how people moved and created the “walking” animation (Ryan).
Ryan used himself for inspiration and used a camera to record how he moved. What intrigued me was how Landreth depicted all the characters. The characters appeared completely surreal with body parts missing or gone and colors splattered all over a figure. Each character was shaped like a sculpture that was defined by the addictions they had or what they have experienced. The characters were also shaped sculpturally to show the psychology of each person as their appearances became mangled. I think by portraying the characters in this way helps the viewer to physically see the true colors behind each person. I noticed in one of the later scenes, that the surreal characters are reflected as actual people in mirrors and windows. The setting of the film also complements the characters because it appears to be like a rehabilitation center. Through the setting I sympathized for Ryan as he talks about his journey as an artist and the inspirations he came across (Ryan). I think knowing that Ryan was addicted to cocaine helped me to sympathize with Landreth and think of Ryan as any person subject to falling. If Ryan was a successful artist that was being interviewed, I do not think it would have much of an impact rather than hearing the life story of an artist that had a downfall.
I found it most interesting to see Ryan and Landreth both standing on opposite sides of the road possibly several days after the interview took place without really striking a conversation. Ryan was given a chance to become an animator again, but we see him on the streets, panhandling (Ryan). As Landreth walks by on the opposite side, they simply look at each other and acknowledge each others existence, but they do not greet or talk to each other. Looking at this scene made me feel that no matter how many chances Ryan gets to redo his past to prevent his fall, he will not be able to unless he lets go of his past and current lifestyle. Nonetheless, this film was contemplative and inspirational by creating a documentary on Ryan’s life.
Works Cited
Ryan. Dir. Chris Landreth. Copper Heart Entertainment, 2004. DVD.